From Floral to Roasted: Your Quick Guide to the Finest Oolong Teas

At Art of Tea, our mission is to help our customers enjoy everything that the wonderful world of tea has to offer by providing the highest-quality loose leaf tea, tea mugs, and tea making accessories sourced from all over the world. Oolong tea is one of the most diverse varieties of tea in the world, with flavors ranging from light and floral to bold and complex and everything in between. If you're interested in experiencing all that oolong tea has to offer, you've come to the right place – and here are a few things to look for in great oolong tea.

What Is Oolong Tea?

First thing's first: what's oolong tea? Oolong tea is a variety of traditional Chinese tea produced by oxidizing the tea leaves under strong sunlight, then curling and twisting the tea leaves. What makes oolong tea unique is the oxidation and treatment process: depending on how it's processed, oolong tea can showcase dark, bold flavors, or lighter and more refreshing aromas. The darkest, strongest oolong teas like our Purple Oolong are subjected to a heavy roasting process – and some can even brew a cup almost as dark and thick as coffee. Ultimately, any type of oolong tea can produce a flavorful, rewarding cup – what matters is finding high-quality tea sourced from reputable growers.

How to Brew Oolong Tea

Oolong teas can pack a complex, evolving flavor, and how you brew them is important in drawing out the complexities. Oolongs steep best in water that's just off boiling, so you'll want a hotter steeping temperature than lighter teas like green or white tea. To fully appreciate the flavors that an oolong has to offer, we'd recommend brewing it in short spurts. You'll also want to use a higher concentration of tea leaves– at least 10-15 grams per 8 oz cup. Brew in bursts of about 30 seconds, tasting after each steep to see how you like the flavor and adding more if need be.

Order Premium Loose-Leaf Oolong Tea Online

At Art of Tea, we're proud to source only the finest loose-leaf teas from the most prestigious tea producing regions in the world – and if you want to experience everything that oolong tea can offer, our selection is the perfect place to start. Browse our inventory of premium oolong tea and order online today. We guarantee you'll get a cup that's bursting with flavor whether you choose a light oolong or a dark, heavy-roasted oolong tea.

Pick up new skills on brewing tea by reading our resources to help make the perfect cup.